Purcell: Dido and Aeneas

Henry Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
An opera
The Deller Consort - Alfred Deller, dir.
Vanguard "The Bach Guild" BG-664 [LP, mono, NA]
Vanguard "The Bach Guild" BGS-70 664 [LP, stereo, NA]
Vanguard "The Bach Guild" VTC 1692 [Reel tape, 4 tracks]
Amadeo AVR 5045 [LP, mono, Europe]
Amadeo AVRS 5045 [LP, stereo, Europe]
Vanguard "Everyman classics" SRV 279 SD [LP]
Vanguard "The Bach Guild" HM 46 SD [LP, stereo, NA]
Vanguard Classics (Arcade) "The Bach Guild" 08 2032 71 [CD, Europe]
Vanguard Classics (Arcade) "Alfred Deller Edition" 300 333-2 [CD, France]
Vanguard (Arcade) Classics "Alfred Deller Edition" 08 5100 71 [CD, Europe]

Contents:

    Henry Purcell (m) / Nahum Tate (t)
    Dido and Aeneas (Z 626, 1689)

  1. Overture (Z. 626/1)

    2. Act I

  2. Shake the cloud from off your brow
    1. Aria: (Belinda): Shake the cloud from off your brow (Z. 626/2a)
    2. Chorus: Banish sorrow, banish care (Z. 626/2b)
  3. Aria (Dido) and Ritornello(: Ah! Belinda, I am press'd with torment (Z. 626/3)
  4. Duet (dialogue – Belinda, Dido): Grief increases by concealing (Z. 626/4)
  5. Chorus: When monarchs unite, how happy their state (Z. 626/5)
  6. Trio (dialogue – Dido, Belinda): Whence could so much virtue spring? (Z. 626/6)
  7. Fear no danger to ensue
    1. Duet (Belinda, Second Woman) and Chorus: Fear no danger to ensue (Z. 626/7)
    2. Dance
  8. Trio (dialogue – Belinda, Aeneas, Dido): See, your royal guest appears (Z. 626/8)
  9. Cupid and Chorus: Cupid only throws the dart (Z. 626/9)
  10. Aria (Aeneas): If not for mine, for empire's sake (Z. 626/10)
  11. Pursue thy conquest, Love
    1. Prelude and Aria (Belinda): Pursue thy conquest, Love (Z. 626/11)
    2. A dance gittars chacony (Z. 626/?)
  12. Chorus: To the hills and the vales (Z. 626/12)
  13. The Triumphing Dance (Z. 626/13)

    14. Act II

  14. Prelude for the Witches (Z. 626/14)
  15. Aria (Sorceress, First Witch): Wayward sisters, you that fright (Z. 626/14)
  16. Chorus: Harm's our delight and mischief all our skill (Z. 626/15)
  17. Aria (Sorceress): The Queen of Carthage, whom we hate (Z. 626/16)
  18. Chorus: Ha, ha, ha (Z. 626/17)
  19. Dialogue (Witches, Sorceress): Ruin'd ere the set of sun (Z. 626/18)
  20. Ha, ha, ha (Z. 626/19)
  21. Dialogue (Witches): But ere we this perform (Z. 626/20)
  22. Chorus: In our deep vaulted cell (Z. 626/21)
  23. Echo Dance of the Furies (Z. 626/22)
  24. Ritornello (Z. 626/23)
  25. Thanks to these lonesome vales
    1. Aria (Belinda) and Chorus: Thanks to these lonesome vales (Z. 626/24a-b)
    2. Gittar ground– a dance (Z. 626/24c)
  26. Oft she visits this lov'd mountain
    1. Aria (Second Woman): Oft she visits this lov'd mountain (Z. 626/25a)
    2. Ritornello: A Dance to entertain Aeneas by Dido's Women (Z. 626/25b)
  27. Aria (Aeneas, Dido): Behold, upon my bending spear (Z. 626/26)
  28. Aria (Belinda) and Chorus: Haste, haste to town (Z. 626/27)
  29. Stay, Prince
    1. Duet (Spirit, Aeneas): Stay, Prince, and hear great Jove's command (Z. 626/28)
    2. Dance? (Z. 626/28c)

    30. Act III

  30. Prelude for the sailors (Z. 626/29)
  31. Aria (First Sailor): Come away, fellow sailors (Z. 626/29)
  32. The Sailors' Dance (Z. 626/30)
  33. Trio (Dialogue – Sorceress; Witches): See the flags and streamers curling (Z. 626/31)
  34. Aria (Sorceress): Our next motion (Z. 626/32)
  35. Chorus: Destruction's our delight (Z. 626/33)
  36. The Witches' Dance (Jack of the Lanthorn Dance) (Z. 626/34)
  37. Your counsel all is urg'd in vain
    1. Aria (Dido): Your counsel all is urg'd in vain (Z. 626/35a)
    2. Trio (Dialogue &ndash: Dido, Belinda, Aeneas): See, madam where the Prince appears (Z. 626/35b)
  38. Chorus: Great minds against themselves conspire (Z. 626/36)
  39. Aria (Dido): Thy hand, Belinda (Z. 626/37)
  40. Ground, Aria (Dido), Ritornello: When I am laid in earth (Z. 626/38)
  41. With drooping wings ye Cupids come
    1. Chorus: With drooping wings ye Cupids come (Z. 626/39)
    2. All what we know the angels do above (Epilogue) (Z. 626/40)

Performers:
The Deller Consort
Mary Thomas (Dido, soprano), Honor Sheppard (Belinda, First Witch & First Attendant Woman, soprano), Maurice Bevan (Aeneas, baritone), Helen Watts (contralto, Sorceress), Robert Tear (Spirit and Sailor, tenor), Ellen Dales (2nd Witch & 2nd Attendant Woman, soprano
Oriana Concert Choir and Orchestra
Harold Lester (harpsichord)
Alfred Deller, cond.

Playing time: 54' 06"

Recording site and date:
Mozartsaal, Konzerthaus [05/2-9/1963];
Rel.: 1964

Compilation:
Musical Concepts MC 194 [CDx6 + CD-ROM] Alfred Deller - The Complete Vanguard Recordings, Volume TWO: Music of Henry Purcell.

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.): 105-26 (march 1966 (as Amadeo)), 401-130 (february 1994 (as 08 2032 71), 420-180 (november 1995 (as 300 333-2)

Comments:
Information from LP & CD, Nancy Freudenthal and Dismarc.org (MGR).

To purchasing information for this disc.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Pierre-F. Roberge